Evolution of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in Eastern Kunlun, North Tibetan Plateau:From Continental Rift-Drift and Seafloor Spreading to Initial Subduction and Final Closure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Wang ◽  
Guochun Zhao ◽  
Qian Liu ◽  
Jinlong Yao
Keyword(s):  
Seafloor Spreading ◽  
Continental Rift ◽  
Tethys Ocean ◽  
Final Closure

scholarly journals HP–UHP Metamorphic Belt in the East Kunlun Orogen: Final Closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean and Formation of the Pan-North-China Continent

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (11) ◽  
pp. 2043-2060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuguang Song ◽  
Hengzhe Bi ◽  
Shengsheng Qi ◽  
Liming Yang ◽  
Mark B Allen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North China ◽  
Metamorphic Belt ◽  
East Kunlun ◽  
Tethys Ocean ◽  
Final Closure

A Tarim-North India connection in northern Gondwana: Constraints from provenance of early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the Altyn Tagh orogen, southeastern Tarim

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Liu ◽  
Toshiaki Tsunogae ◽  
Guochun Zhao ◽  
Yigui Han ◽  
Jinlong Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Detrital Zircons ◽  
Early Paleozoic ◽  
The North ◽  
Altyn Tagh ◽  
Tarim Craton ◽  
Tethys Ocean ◽  
Final Closure

<p>Amalgamation of northern Gondwana involves a wealth of present-day East Asian blocks (e.g., South China, North China, Alxa, Tarim, Indochina, Qiangtang, Sibumasu, Lhasa, etc.) due to consumption and closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean. Locating the Tarim craton during assembly of northern Gondwana remains enigmatic, with different models separating Tarim from Gondwana by a paleoceanic domain throughout the Paleozoic, advocating a long-term Tarim-Australia linkage in the Neoproterozoic to the early Paleozoic, or suggesting a Tarim-Arabia connection in the early Paleozoic.</p><p>This study carried out field-based zircon U-Pb dating and Hf isotopic analyses for early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the Altyn Tagh orogen, southeastern Tarim. New dating results revealed that the early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks were deposited from ca. 494 to 449 Ma. Provenance tracing indicates the ca. 494-477 Ma sedimentary rocks were primarily sourced from the local Altyn Tagh orogen to the south of the North Altyn Ocean (one branch of the Proto-Tethys Ocean between southeastern Tarim and northern Gondwana). In contrast, the ca. 465-449 Ma sedimentary rocks have remarkably increasing ca. 840-780 Ma, 2.0-1.7 Ga, and 2.7-2.4 Ga detrital zircons, indicating an augmented supply of detritus from the Tarim craton to the north of the North Altyn Ocean. Such a significant provenance shift between ca. 477 and 465 Ma marks the timing of the final closure of the North Altyn Ocean. Combined with the timing of the final closure of other branches of the Proto-Tethys Ocean, the entire Proto-Tethys Ocean might have been progressively closed at ca. 500-420 Ma, resulting in the connection of most East Asian blocks with northern Gondwana. Based on detrital zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic comparison, Tarim most likely shared a North Indian affinity with many East Asian blocks (such as North Qilian, North Qinling, South China, Indochina, South Qiangtang, etc.). This new finding argues against an Australian or Arabian affinity for the Tarim craton.</p><p>This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China Projects (grants 41730213, 42072264, 41902229, 41972237, and 41888101), Hong Kong Research Grants Council General Research Fund (grant 17307918), and Grant-in-Aids for Scientific Research from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) to Prof. Toshiaki Tsunogae (No. 18H01300) and to Dr. Qian Liu (No. 19F19020). JSPS fellowship is also much appreciated.</p>

scholarly journals Initiation of a Proto-transform Fault Prior to Seafloor Spreading

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finnigan Illsley-Kemp ◽  
JM Bull ◽  
D Keir ◽  
T Gerya ◽  
C Pagli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Seafloor Spreading ◽  
Continental Rift ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
Transform Faults ◽  
Local Seismicity ◽  
Ocean Ridges ◽  
Rifted Margins ◽  
Direct Observations

©2018. The Authors. Transform faults are a fundamental tenet of plate tectonics, connecting offset extensional segments of mid-ocean ridges in ocean basins worldwide. The current consensus is that oceanic transform faults initiate after the onset of seafloor spreading. However, this inference has been difficult to test given the lack of direct observations of transform fault formation. Here we integrate evidence from surface faults, geodetic measurements, local seismicity, and numerical modeling of the subaerial Afar continental rift and show that a proto-transform fault is initiating during the final stages of continental breakup. This is the first direct observation of proto-transform fault initiation in a continental rift and sheds unprecedented light on their formation mechanisms. We demonstrate that they can initiate during late-stage continental rifting, earlier in the rifting cycle than previously thought. Future studies of volcanic rifted margins cannot assume that oceanic transform faults initiated after the onset of seafloor spreading.

Provenance of early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the Altyn Tagh orogen: Insights into the paleoposition of the Tarim craton in northern Gondwana associated with final closure of the Proto−Tethys Ocean

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Liu ◽  
Guochun Zhao ◽  
Jianhua Li ◽  
Jinlong Yao ◽  
Yigui Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
East Asian ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Hf Isotope ◽  
Early Paleozoic ◽  
Northern Margin ◽  
The North ◽  
Altyn Tagh ◽  
Tarim Craton ◽  
Tethys Ocean ◽  
Final Closure

The evolution of the northern margin of Gondwana, especially to the north of India and Australia, remains enigmatic. Much controversy concerns when and where the Tarim craton was amalgamated with northern Gondwana due to final closure of the North and South Altyn Oceans (two branches of the Proto−Tethys Ocean between southeastern Tarim and northern Gondwana). This study addressed these issues through systematic field-based zircon U-Pb dating and Hf-isotope analyses of early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the Altyn Tagh orogen. New dating results reveal depositional ages from ca. 494 to 426 Ma. Provenance tracing indicates the ca. 494−477 Ma samples were dominantly sourced from local Altyn Tagh areas to the south of the North Altyn Ocean, whereas the ca. 465−449 Ma samples are characterized by a significant increase in ca. 2.7−2.4 Ga, 2.0−1.7 Ga, and 840−780 Ma detrital zircons, indicating an augmented supply of detritus from the Tarim craton to the north of the North Altyn Ocean. This change indicates a major provenance shift from a single to multiple source regions between ca. 477 and 465 Ma, marking the timing of the final closure of the North Altyn Ocean. Zircon U-Pb and Hf-isotopic data from the ca. 444−426 Ma samples resemble those from the ca. 465−449 Ma samples, suggesting local sediment recycling related to a postcollisional regime. Considering the South Altyn Ocean and other branches of the Proto−Tethys Ocean, we infer that the entire Proto−Tethys Ocean might have been progressively closed at ca. 500−420 Ma, leading to the amalgamation of most East Asian blocks with northern Gondwana. Detrital zircon U-Pb and Hf-isotope comparisons indicate that Tarim shared a North Indian affinity with many East Asian terranes (such as North Qilian, North Qinling, South China, Indochina, South Qiangtang, etc.), rather than with Arabia-Iran or other terranes (e.g., Lhasa and Sibumasu) that were adjacent to western Australia along the northern margin of Gondwana.

Timing of the final closure of the Proto-Tethys Ocean: Constraints from provenance of early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in West Kunlun, NW China

2020 ◽  
Vol 84 ◽  
pp. 151-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng Wang ◽  
Guochun Zhao ◽  
Yigui Han ◽  
Qian Liu ◽  
Jinlong Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Early Paleozoic ◽  
Nw China ◽  
Tethys Ocean ◽  
West Kunlun ◽  
Final Closure

scholarly journals Initiation of a Proto-transform Fault Prior to Seafloor Spreading

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finnigan Illsley-Kemp ◽  
JM Bull ◽  
D Keir ◽  
T Gerya ◽  
C Pagli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Seafloor Spreading ◽  
Continental Rift ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Transform Fault ◽  
Transform Faults ◽  
Local Seismicity ◽  
Ocean Ridges ◽  
Rifted Margins ◽  
Direct Observations

©2018. The Authors. Transform faults are a fundamental tenet of plate tectonics, connecting offset extensional segments of mid-ocean ridges in ocean basins worldwide. The current consensus is that oceanic transform faults initiate after the onset of seafloor spreading. However, this inference has been difficult to test given the lack of direct observations of transform fault formation. Here we integrate evidence from surface faults, geodetic measurements, local seismicity, and numerical modeling of the subaerial Afar continental rift and show that a proto-transform fault is initiating during the final stages of continental breakup. This is the first direct observation of proto-transform fault initiation in a continental rift and sheds unprecedented light on their formation mechanisms. We demonstrate that they can initiate during late-stage continental rifting, earlier in the rifting cycle than previously thought. Future studies of volcanic rifted margins cannot assume that oceanic transform faults initiated after the onset of seafloor spreading.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document